The Wayro route from Jalpa to Malinalco is 384 miles (618 km), about 7 h 24 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 384 mi (618 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 24 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-70 → MEX-71 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-55 → MEX-55D |
| Mexican states on the route | Zacatecas (Level 4), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-47D, MEX-55D, MEX-A10D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
What the drive from Jalpa to Malinalco is like
MEX-45D (142 mi) and MEX-70 (51 mi) carry about 50% of the 384 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-55D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-70, MEX-71, MEX-45, MEX-55 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Jalpa to Malinalco, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-70 | 1–52 | 51 | Zacatecas, Aguascalientes |
| MEX-71 | 52–58 | 6 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 58–75 | 17 | Aguascalientes, Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 75–217 | 142 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| MEX-47D | 217–268 | 51 | Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-55 | 268–308 | 40 | Querétaro, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 308–309 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 309–344 | 35 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 344–349 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 349–384 | 35 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 17 of this route: Zacatecas → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 71 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 120 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 230 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 270 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Jalpa and Malinalco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Santa Cruz (mile 24), Museo Descubre (mile 58), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 308)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 228), Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (mile 349), Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 360)
- Museums and history: La Santa Cruz (mile 24), Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 58), Museo Descubre (mile 58), Celaya Cathedral (mile 205), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 308), Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (mile 348), Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (mile 349)
La Santa Cruz
In Calvillo's town center, La Santa Cruz is a cultural and monumental complex with Catholic and historical themes devoted to Calvillo's role in the Cristero War of 1926; it opened in 2021.
Museum of Contemporary Art
Aguascalientes' Museum of Contemporary Art shows works by contemporary Mexican artists in its Jesús F. Contreras gallery.
Museo Descubre
Museo Descubre is a hands-on, interactive museum in the city of Aguascalientes whose spiral-shaped interior leads inward along various paths of knowledge.
Celaya Cathedral
Celaya's main Catholic church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, occupies the space of a former chapel that was annexed to the neighboring Temple of St. Francis.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.
Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez
In Toluca's historic center, a building from the late 18th and early 19th centuries holds about 225 watercolors, oils and drawings tracing the work of painter Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez. It opened in December 1992.
Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México
Set in the Parque de los Matlatzincas on Cerro del Calvario, the Natural Sciences Museum of the State of Mexico explores biology, geology and the preservation of natural resources.
Nevado de Toluca National Park
The Nevado de Toluca volcano was declared a flora and fauna protection area in 2013, a protected zone spanning ten municipalities of the State of Mexico, including Toluca, Zinacantepec and Temascaltepec.
When you get to Malinalco
Malinalco
Carved straight into the hillside above Malinalco, the Cuauhcalli is a rock-cut temple at the heart of this archaeological zone. The Mexica took the Matlatzinca town around 1476 and used it to train and consecrate elite warriors.
Desierto del Carmen National Park
Declared a national park on October 10, 1942, Desierto del Carmen is a protected area in the municipality of Tenancingo, in the State of Mexico.
More drives to Malinalco
- Valle de Bravo to Malinalco
- Zitácuaro to Malinalco
- Tlalpujahua to Malinalco
- San Juan del Río to Malinalco
- Tequisquiapan to Malinalco
- Salvatierra to Malinalco
From Jalpa to other places in Mexico
- Jalpa to Real de Asientos
- Jalpa to Ajijic
- Jalpa to Pinos
- Jalpa to Mazamitla
- Jalpa to Mineral de Pozos
- Jalpa to Nombre de Dios
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Jalpa to Malinalco?
About 7 h 24 min of driving without stops, over 384 miles.
How far is Malinalco from Jalpa by car?
About 384 miles (618 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Jalpa to Malinalco?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Jalpa to Malinalco?
The U.S. State Department rates Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Jalpa to Malinalco use?
In order: MEX-70, MEX-71, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-55 and MEX-55D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Jalpa and Malinalco?
Closest to the road: La Santa Cruz (museum, mile 24, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Descubre (museum, mile 58, 0.9 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 308, 0.4 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway mile markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.